Donegal nightclub granted licence to open at 12.01am on St Stephen's morning

There has been some controversy in a Donegal village over plans by a local nightclub to open at 12.01am on St Stephen's morning.

The Limelight nightclub in Glenties has been granted a special licence to open in the early hours of December 26th.

It is believed to be the only special licence issued in the north-west, and the judge's decision came despite objections from gardaí and some locals.

Even with the special licence the pub will not be able to open until just after midnight, as alcohol sales are legally prohibited on Christmas Day.

Brian Carr, chair of the Glenties community development group, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast about the club's late night / early morning Christmas opening.

He explained: "For years, up until 2012, the Limelight used to open [on St Stephen's morning], and the licence was revoked in 2012.

"[This year's special licence] has caused a little bit of controversy around the town. There's going to be so many people landing in Glenties on Christmas night... our population will probably treble from 800 people to 1,600 revelers in the town that night. Some of the local residents have a grievance that the judge granted this licence again."

He added: "All these people are going to converge on the town for those two hours... they will be in the town from around 11.30pm until four or five in the morning.

"I think there's some undertaking that the owners will move them on quicker out of town - I think that's one of those reasons the judge granted the licence."